#7 - Bumpy Landing

Fett got a solid five hours of rest before an insistent beeping grabbed his attention. Removing his feet from the consol, he checked the navigation systems. At last, they were at Tatooine. He brought Slave 1 out of hyperspace.

With the desert planet now in sight, Boba was tempted to let Phalla continue to sleep until he landed. Then an ominous red blip showed up on the radar. He brought up an image.

Ah shab...

It was the IG-2000, that blasted assassin droid IG-88's ship. It must be here for Solo. Fett narrowed his eyes and armed the ion cannon and waited to see what '88 would do. IG-2000 moved in closer, but kept weapons powered down. Of course, it could not shoot and risk damaging Han.

Fett had no qualms about destroying a droid.

He banked hard right, jolting Phalla awake. She gripped the sides of her seat. "What's happening?" she asked. She received no answer.

Fett took aim on IG-88's ship, ignoring the hail it was sending. IG-2000 went up in flames. Serves the chakaar right, he thought.

Phalla stared at the wreckage as it was pulled in by the planet's gravity field then looked to Boba. "What was that?"

"Nothing important," he answered then added, "Now we're here."

She relaxed a bit and sat up straighter to get a better view of the planet. "Whoa..." She was at a loss for words. From here, Tatooine looked beautiful, like a polished sandstone orb. She could only imagine what the surface was like with sand and dunes as far as the eye could see.

Boba shook his head. This poor kid was in for a real wake-up call.

-x-

Landing was the easy part. Trying to figure out just what to do with his "passenger" was the hard part. Fett knew that he had to take her with him, but he did not want people asking awkward questions. And he did not want Phalla talking to anyone of consequence either.

As he readied Solo for transport, he got an idea. He came back to the cockpit and held something out to her. She looked at it then up at him questioningly. "Put it on," he ordered.

Phalla took the item and held it up so that she could see it clearly. She frowned. "You want me to wear this?"

"Don't like the color?" he asked sarcastically. It was actually a very nice color; a pink tinted mauv lined with real gold.

Phalla shook her head and handed the pleasure slave outfit back to the bounty hunter. "I am not wearing this."

He knew she might respond this way. "If you don't, you won't last five minutes in Jabba's court."

She paled some. He thought that would change her mind. She grudgingly went to the refresher to change. It did not take her long and when she came out, she made it clear that she was extremely uncomfortable.

He was not alright with this either. A girl her age should not be dressed in such a manner, but this was for her own safety. He motioned for her to come nearer. She did so, nearly her entire body flushing. When she saw the collar he held and chain attached to it, she shied away.

"No way," she protested. "You promised no chains if I stayed quiet."

"And I kept my word, didn't I? This is just for appearances," he said evenly and waited.

Phalla gave in. She shuddered at the metal collar's icy touch, shiver-bumps appearing on her skin. Fett then held out his hand to her. She wondered what he wanted until she realized she was still holding her backpack. Reluctantly, she gave it to him. She watched as he put it in a hidden compartment in the wall then fastened her chain to his belt.

"Your name is Dawn," he began, confusing her. "I picked you up on Florin three months ago. You've been a slave all your life. You can't tell anyone who you really are or where you come from."

Phalla did not understand what he was saying. "Why not? What's wrong with my name?"

Fett debated answering. He did not have to tell her anything, but figured it would be a good idea. It would stop her nagging and show her just what she had gotten herself into. "Jabba doesn't think very highly of your uncle."

"Why doesn't Jabba like my uncle? How do you know my uncle?"

"I looked you up on Bespin's current population census and checked your family lineage. Now shut up and pay attention." She obeyed. "Tibra Zhan was Jabba's most trusted financier until he got too powerful. Jabba had him imprisoned, but Tibra escaped. No one knows where he is."

Phalla was confused. She knew her uncle Tibra. He had come just this year to her sixteenth life day. He had given her the locket that she wore now. Her parents had always told her that he worked for a private corporation. She supposed that was true. She also knew that her parents were not very fond of uncle Tibra. Now she knew why. He had been involved with the top gangster in the galaxy.

Fett pulled her from her thoughts. "Come on," he said and began leading her through the cramped ship and down the ramp. The landing pad was a blaze with sunlight and heat. Phalla had to squint to see anything after the darkness of Slave 1.

There was a wide open door with three aliens coming toward them; one was a Weequay, another was a Gamorean, and the other was the ugliest male Twi'lek she had ever seen. The trio stopped in front of them and the Twi'lek bowed. Fett responded with a curt nod. The Twi'lek said something in his native language and eyed Phalla strangely before gesturing for the two other aliens with him to enter the ship.

Phalla decided that she did not like this Twi'lek.

The Weequay and Gamorean soon came back out with the man frozen in carbonite. Phalla wondered not for the first time who he was and why they had done this to him. The Twi'lek then led them all into the door and into Jabba's palace.

The first thing that hit Phalla was the dankness and the smell. It took all she had to continue walking and keep a straight face. How anyone could live like this was beyond her.

They walked down endlessly winding hallways until they came to a large room filled with dozens of aliens and some humans. An acrid smell made up of alcohol and spices and other things Phalla did not care to identify hung thickly in the air. She fought desperately not to cough or gag.

The Twi'lek stopped them near the center of the large room. Now in front of them sat the number one ugliest thing Phalla had ever seen: a Hutt, Jabba the Hutt. Phalla had heard of Hutts, but stories could never have prepared her for Jabba. The slug was huge and slimy and was munching on small creatures that were still alive. There were a few forlorn girls some years older than she was of a few different species sitting around him, all with collars and chains and outfits similar to her own.

Real slaves, she thought sadly.

The Twi'lek spoke to Jabba and the Hutt smiled viciously, glancing at the frozen man. He then began speaking to Fett. She flinched when he spoke, but made herself pay attention. Fett would reply in Basic while Jabba spoke in Huttese. As she watched and listened, the conversation seemed to turn into an argument. Eventually, they seemed to come to an understanding and the Weequay and Gamorean took the man in carbonite away.

Jabba then turned his sickly yellow eyes onto her. He said something to Fett. In response, the bounty hunter tugged on her chain, causing her to stumble. She fell against his side and he securely took hold of her upper arm. She stared up at him, bewildered and frightened.

"This one is not for sale," Fett said icily.

Phalla knew what the slug must want but did not want to register it. Unwittingly, her green eyes made contact with his. Her blood ran cold as her innocence was further shattered. Finally, it broke through: Jabba wanted her to join his harem of girls under his tail.

Then a wave of calm seeped in. Boba was protecting her, just as he said he would. As long as he was with her, no one could harm her.

Jabba glared at them before conceding. He said something, gesturing back toward the door they had entered in. Fett nodded and let go of her. He then headed back toward the door, Phalla following. She wondered if they were going back to the ship.

However, he took her to what appeared to be a guestroom. It was not much better than the rest of the palace, rocky walls and dusty floor, but Phalla was relieved that it was fairly dry and did not reek. To her further relief, Fett removed her collar. She looked up at his T-shaped visor.

"What are we doing here?" she asked.

He set the collar and chain on a table by the low couch in the main area of the room before answering. "Jabba has paid me to stay here for a little while. I suggest you make yourself comfortable until I can take you home."

Phalla was going to protest, but thought better of it. Fett would finish his business here soon enough then take her home, just as he had promised.

AN: To get an idea ofPhalla's outfit, go to and search Nabile (she's a purple/pink Ixi). Go ahead; call me a copy-cat.